Multi-disk optical drive

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for transitioning data contained on multiple memory storage devices, such as optical disks and memory cards, efficiently onto a data network by utilizing data bridges between the memory devices and the target network.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an apparatus for transitioning data contained on optical disks onto a data network.

2. Description of Related/Prior Art

In other disk drive units that contain more than one optical drive, the units typically only play one disk at a time. Further, in some very rare units that contain more than one optical drive where these drives do play simultaneously, the data on these drives is first converted to analog and then converted back to digital and then the data is placed onto a data network.

In the first instance above there are inefficiencies where the additional optical drives are being used merely for storage as the unit containing the drives only outputs one signal at a time.

In the second instance above where some units do have multiple simultaneous play capabilities, these units are very inefficient and introduce noise and signal degradation at every conversion step from digital to analog and from analog to digital.

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES

Accordingly, several objects and advantages of our invention are:

Our multi-disk optical drive provides multiple simultaneous outputs of the digital content contained on the disks. This allows multiple disk drives to be contained in a very small and light-weight package.

Our multi-disk optical drive also provides a direct digital connection to the data network. There is no digital to analog back to digital conversion that could introduce errors in the signal reproduction.

In installations where size and weight are critical, such as in an aircraft, these advantages are of paramount importance.

Further objects and advantages of our invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The invention, a multi-disk optical drive, provides the user with multiple simultaneous streams of data from a very small and light weight unit. This data is output directly from the multi-disk optical drive device onto the data network.

DRAWINGS List of Figures

FIG. 1 Optical Drive Bay Block Diagram

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

The first digit=the FIGURE number and the second 2 digits indicate the part number

Item Nomenclature 106 Multi-Disk Optical Drive Assembly 107 Optical Drive 108 Memory card reader 109 Data Bridge 110 DC to DC Converter (Power Supply)

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1, illustrates a multi-disk drive assembly consisting of the optical drives 107 a and 107 b which output their digital data to the Data Bridges 109 b and 109 c which transition the data onto the data network. They are several bridge types that can be utilized depending on the network type being attached to. In our preferred implementation, an Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) to Ethernet bridge is used.

Other data storage devices could also benefit from this implementation. Also in FIG. 1 we show a memory card reader 108, connected to a data bridge 109 a which transitions data from the memory card onto the data network. The memory card could contain content such as MP3 music files or MPEG2 or MPEG4, still pictures in digital format or other such types of files representing similar content.

The data bridges 109 a, 109 b and 109 c could also act as multi-cast data servers. That is, they can broadcast the data from the optical disks or memory card onto a network as multi-cast data streams. 

1) An apparatus for transitioning data contained on optical disks onto a data network comprised of: (a) one or more optical disk drives, (b) one or more data bridges, (d) a power supply 2) The apparatus in claim 1 wherein the data bridge transmits the data onto the network as multi-cast data streams. 3) The apparatus in claim 2 wherein the data is only transmitted when there is actually someone requesting to receive it on the multi-cast data network. 4) An apparatus for transitioning data contained on memory storage devices onto a data network comprised of: (a) one or more memory storage devices, (b) one or more data bridges, (d) a power supply Whereby the data from the memory storage device is placed onto the network without going through the intermediary steps of digital to analog conversion and analog to digital conversion. 5) The apparatus in claim 4 wherein the data bridge transmits the data onto the network as multi-cast data streams. Whereby the data from the memory storage device is placed onto the network as a multi-cast data stream thereby conserving bandwidth for other network traffic. 